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Stomu Yamashta
Stomu Yamashta (or Yamash'ta), born }} is a Japanese percussionist, keyboardist and composer. He is best known for pioneering and popularising a fusion of traditional Japanese percussive music with Western progressive rock music in the 1960s and 1970s. In the latter part of the 1970s, he led the supergroup "Go" with Steve Winwood, Al Di Meola, Klaus Schulze, and Michael Shrieve. Biography Yamash'ta was born in Kyoto, and studied music at Kyoto University, Juilliard School of Music, and Berklee College of Music,Grove Music Online and has also lectured in music. His innovation and acrobatic drumming style earned him many accolades. In the 1960s he performed with Thor Johnson, Toru Takemitsu, and Hans Werner Henze amongst others. He changed his name from Tsutomu Yamashita to the phonetic Stomu Yamash'ta and in 1969 gained worldwide recognition during a concert with Seiji Ozawa and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Time reviewed the concert declaring 'the star of the evening was Stomu Yamash'ta who stole the show with his virtuoso performance', and when it was over the audience gave him a five-minute standing ovation. At the turn of the 1970s he worked with Peter Maxwell Davies and brought the Red Buddha Theatre company from Japan to Europe, acting as their director, producer and composer, writing and performing in the multi-media event The Man From The East, with Morris Pert's Come To The Edge providing the musical backing. He has composed for the British Royal Ballet; contributed pieces from his albums to the Nicolas Roeg film The Man Who Fell to Earth (starring David Bowie); performed in Peter Maxwell Davies's score for Ken Russell's The Devils and in John Williams' score for Robert Altman's Images (1972). He has also composed film scores. His Space Theme was used by the BBC on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Stomu Yamash'ta also appears in the last episode of Tony Palmer's All You Need is Love: The Story of Popular Music.imdb.com Name Originally known as Tsutomu Yamashita, most of his albums for Western audiences use the name "Stomu Yamash'ta", though some (such as Go and Raindog) use the name "Yamashta" (without the apostrophe).Album covers of Red Buddha, Floating Music, Freedom is Frightening, Man from the East, Raindog, Go, Go Too Discography * Percussion Recital (1971) * The World Of Stomu Yamash'ta (1971, live) * Uzu: The World Of Stomu Yamash'ta 2 (1971, live) * Metempsychosis (1971, collaboration with Masahiko Sato) * Red Buddha (1971)King Records 900 569 * Sunrise From West Sea (1971, live) * Floating Music (1972)Island Records HELP 12 * Images original soundtrack (Robert Altman, 1972), music composed by John Williams; percussion solos by Stomu Yamashta * Der langwierige Weg in die Wohnung der Natascha Ungeheuer (Hans Werner Henze) (1972) * Henze/Takemitsu/Maxwell Davies (1972), comprising: ** Prison Song (Henze) ** Seasons (Takemitsu) ** Turris Campanarum Sonatinum (Maxwell Davies) * The Man From The East (1973, soundtrack)Island Records ILPS9228 * Freedom Is Frightening (1973)Island Records ILPS9242 * One by One (soundtrack) Stomu Yamash´ta´s East Wind (1974).Island Records ILPS9269. (Information about the film is at One by One (1975 film)) * Raindog (1975)Island Records ILPS9787 * Die Neue Musik Und Ihre Neuesten Entwicklungen (1975), including: ** El Cimarrón (Henze) * Go (1976)Island Records ILPS9319 * Go Live From Paris (1976) * Go Too (1977)Arista Records SPARTY 1011 * Waza + Mujo 7" from: ** Budo: The Art of Killing (1978, soundtrack) * Iroha-Ten/Chi (1981) * Iroha-Sui (1982) * Tempest (1982, soundtrack) * Iroha-Ka (1983) * Kukai (1984, soundtrack) * Sea & Sky (1985) * Solar Dream, Vol. 2 Fantasy Of Sanukit (1990) * Solar Dream, Vol. 1 The Eternal Present (1993) * Solar Dream Vol. 3 Peace And Love (1997) * A Desire of Beauty and Wonder Stone, Part 1 (1999) * Listen To The Future, Vol. 1 (2001) * Tofu (2002, compilation with Kodo, Yoshida Brothers, others) * Live In Stockholm, Sweden, September 28, 1974 (2005, live) * Bergmál (2006, collaboration with Ragnhildur Gísladóttir and Sjón)discogs.com See also * The Man Who Fell to Earth (a movie that uses a number of Yamash'ta tracks). References External links * Stomu Yamash'ta biography and interview in English * Stomu Yamash'ta and Go * Stomu Yamashta discography * * Stomu Yamash'ta documentary film "Walking On Sound" Category:1947 births Category:Berklee College of Music alumni Category:Crossover (music) Category:Island Records artists Category:Japanese classical musicians Category:Japanese composers Category:Japanese jazz musicians Category:Japanese keyboardists Category:Japanese male composers Category:Japanese percussionists Category:Japanese rock musicians Category:Jazz percussionists Category:Juilliard School alumni Category:Kyoto University alumni Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Kyoto